A moan of bitter anguish broke from the count as he pressed his bowed head against the marble mantle-piece, and drew his trembling hands to his face. This little gleam of fortitude that had for a moment struggled to the surface died away, leaving him still lower in his depth of misery.

"You decline my challenge, then!" said the sergeant-major, with gloating savagery. "You know now that for the future your safety depends upon my discretion. Your long, undisturbed dream of splendor has not lulled you into the belief that you were born to the rank and honors you now hold. I do not speak false in saying that you were once a private soldier in the regiment of the true Count Stralenheim? You don't answer. Bah, man! lift up your head. I am not a pitiless fool who have sought you only to give you up to justice. What have I to do with justice? Behave well to me, and I will keep silent; but if not, woe be to you! I have hunted after you for years, and at last destiny set me on your track. was neither accident nor fate that transferred me to Duke Charles' body-guard. I have been exchanged into nearly every regiment in Germany; always by my own request, and always with the one desire-that of finding you. Success has come now; my suspicions are ripened into certainty, and I await my reward."

It

"Hear me, Meissen," began the count, in a quivering voice.

"I want to hear nothing," he interrupted, with a rude gesture of impatience; "your

liberty, perhaps your life, depends upon my breath. Fear not, I can keep a still tongue; but my silence must be purchased."

"What is it you require ?" asked the count, with the resignation of despair. "Some gold to begin with," replied Meissen.

The count drew forth his purse and emptied its contents into the sergeant-major's hand. Meissen deliberately counted over the pieces of coin, and then threw them contemptuously on the table.

"I have given you all the loose cash I have about me," said the count; "but name any reasonable sum, and I will write an order for it on my banker."

"I will think about it, then," said Meissen, as he once more took up the gold and transferred it to his pocket.

"But I need something else besides money." "What?" asked the count, in evident surprise.

"A lieutenant's commission," replied the sergeant-major, with audacious coolness.

"No, no! you are not in earnest, surely?" gasped the count.

"Am I not," retorted Meissen, with a glare of insolent defiance. "Was your countship in earnest when you stole and

"If you are human, spare me," cried the count, writhing in agony.

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Very well, a lieutenant's commission," he slowly repeated.

"There is no vacancy," said the count, in a supplicating voice.

"You must make one; do you hear me? I say you must make one," said Meissen. "If I do not receive it to-morrow

interrupted the

"Yes, yes; to-morrow," count, shrinking and trembling under the menace of his arch foe.

"Enough!" exclaimed Meissen, with a fiendish chuckle. "Don't you think you ought to congratulate yourself on having so modest an accomplice?" he asked, as he walked to the couch where he had thrown his shako, and taking it up, placed it firmly on his head; then striding to the count, he held out his hand. "Adieu," said he; "shake hands. Oh, don't be afraid; I cannot very well pollute you, I think."

As the count reluctantly placed his hand in that of his subaltern, a loathsome shudder passed through his frame, and a sense of degrading bitterness filled his mind.

"Now summon your lackey," said Meissen, and in my hearing, command him to give me an unquestioned entrance here to-morrow."

As the count touched the bell, Meissen threw aside his overbearing rudeness, and retreated to a more respectful distance, where he remained standing in an attitude of deferential homage until the count had delivered his mandate to the servant, when, after giving a military salute to his colonel, he wheeled round and quitted the room, followed by the domestic.

"The shadow of retributive justice closes round me at last," groaned the count, aloud. "Oh, merciful heaven!" he cried in a voice of

frenzied despair, "for my wife, my children's sake, stay thy avenging arm!"

CHAPTER III.

On the following day the Duke Charles was closeted with his minister, Fahnenbergh, who was submitting to his highness a pile of documents for his approval and signature. Amongst them was one that claimed the minister's especial notice.

"This," said he, "is a dispatch requesting that one Sergeant-Major Meissen may be elevated to the rank of lieutenant."

"Has a new vacancy occurred, then?" asked the duke in surprise.

"No, your highness," replied Fahnenberg, respectfully, "I believe not."

"Then why this promotion?" inquired the duke.

"The request is made by the colonel," replied Fahnenberg.

"That alters the case," said the duke. "The count is incapable of making such a demand without cogent reasons; I have full confidence in his judgment. Prepare the commission, and I will sign it at once."

The document was forthwith drawn up, and the duke's signature affixed to it; but the ink

was scarcely dry upon the parchment before an attendant entered and announced that the young count, Albert Stralenheim, desired an audience of the duke.

"My lord,"

"Admit him," said the duke. he added, addressing his minister, "I have reasons for wishing my interview with this young nobleman to be as private as possible." Fahnenbergh took the hint, and, gathering up his portfolio, retired from the duke's pres

ence.

"It is strange," mused his highness, "how the image of that young girl haunts me. I have only seen her twice-once in the gardens of the palace, and the second time by the ruined temple of Apollo, in company with Albert Stralenheim, and yet her face and form have left a fadeless impression upon my memory. An angel's purity seemed to dwell in her dimpled smile, and truth and innocence were written in fairest characters on her beautiful brow. Woe befall the man who would wrong her! were he one of my subjects, he should make the fullest atonement."

As he ceased speaking, Albert Stralenheim was ushered into his presence. The duke advanced a step or two to meet him, extending his hand with a courteous frankness.

"I am happy to receive you, Albert," he said, kindly.

"I thank your highness," said Albert, as he raised the duke's hand to his lips, in respectful homage.

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"It is my wish to attach you to my person,"